D-Day in Normandy

Our approach down to the Normandy beaches after driving from Paris, first to Arromanches. A good starting place for a visit to the D-Day area. From here, drive west to Omaha and Utah beaches ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 19:55:26 -0700

Bob Johnson
Our approach down to the Normandy beaches after driving from Paris, first to Arromanches. A good starting place for a visit to the D-Day area. From here, drive west to Omaha and Utah beaches ...

At the American cemetery, an outline of the initial landings. Facing in from the sea, British and Canadians are to the left and the Americans to the right at the Omaha and Utah beaches, wher ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 10:09:56 -0700

Bob Johnson
At the American cemetery, an outline of the initial landings. Facing in from the sea, British and Canadians are to the left and the Americans to the right at the Omaha and Utah beaches, wher ...

Arromanches is a tourist town, with a fine museum that details the invasion, the equipment, the soldiers of many nations that made contributions, however small for some, to the invasion. Dan ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:21:11 -0700

Bob Johnson
Arromanches is a tourist town, with a fine museum that details the invasion, the equipment, the soldiers of many nations that made contributions, however small for some, to the invasion. Dan ...

In the Arromanches harbor are remnants of the British Mulberry devices that provided a port to receive shipping after the first invasion before the Allies captured a "real" port facility. Wi ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 16:19:27 -0700

Bob Johnson
In the Arromanches harbor are remnants of the British Mulberry devices that provided a port to receive shipping after the first invasion before the Allies captured a "real" port facility. Wi ...

At Utah beach, a monument at a place where American troops came up from the beach. Fighting here was less intense than at Omaha. At this time in the afternoon, the day was cloudy, windy, chi ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 19:55:11 -0700

Bob Johnson
At Utah beach, a monument at a place where American troops came up from the beach. Fighting here was less intense than at Omaha. At this time in the afternoon, the day was cloudy, windy, chi ...

At Utah beach, a Sherman tank.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 19:55:47 -0700

Bob Johnson
At Utah beach, a Sherman tank.

At Utah beach, a unit memorial to an Engineer brigade.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:10 -0700

Bob Johnson
At Utah beach, a unit memorial to an Engineer brigade.

Monument to the Allied invasion at Utah beach.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:07 -0700

Bob Johnson
Monument to the Allied invasion at Utah beach.

Scene of the Normandy countryside, traveling between Omaha and Utah beaches.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 16:19:23 -0700

Bob Johnson
Scene of the Normandy countryside, traveling between Omaha and Utah beaches.

Resting in the British cemetery are soldiers killed from the start to the end of the war. But most were from battles during the June-July-August Normandy campaign.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 19:55:23 -0700

Bob Johnson
Resting in the British cemetery are soldiers killed from the start to the end of the war. But most were from battles during the June-July-August Normandy campaign.

The British cemetery was inland from the Normandy beaches and a very peaceful and immaculate place.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 19:55:22 -0700

Bob Johnson
The British cemetery was inland from the Normandy beaches and a very peaceful and immaculate place.

Another view of the highly groomed British cemetery.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 19:55:17 -0700

Bob Johnson
Another view of the highly groomed British cemetery.

Buried with the British, unknown German soldiers.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 19:55:19 -0700

Bob Johnson
Buried with the British, unknown German soldiers.

A Lance Corporal of The Green Howards.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 19:55:20 -0700

Bob Johnson
A Lance Corporal of The Green Howards.

A roadside notice of a momument to a British armored unit. The kids were off for fishing in a nearby stream.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 19:55:45 -0700

Bob Johnson
A roadside notice of a momument to a British armored unit. The kids were off for fishing in a nearby stream.

The monument, a simple place by a roadside in France.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 19:55:46 -0700

Bob Johnson
The monument, a simple place by a roadside in France.

Front view of the church at Ste.- Mere-Eglise, a location for American paras on the night of D-Day.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:12 -0700

Bob Johnson
Front view of the church at Ste.- Mere-Eglise, a location for American paras on the night of D-Day.

The replica of the American para who landed atop the Church.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:15 -0700

Bob Johnson
The replica of the American para who landed atop the Church.

Another view of the replica.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:19 -0700

Bob Johnson
Another view of the replica.

Inside the church, stained glass to memorialize the Americans who came from the sky.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:14 -0700

Bob Johnson
Inside the church, stained glass to memorialize the Americans who came from the sky.

View from a German observation bunker at the top of Pont du Hoc, scaled by American rangers on the first day of the invasion.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:22 -0700

Bob Johnson
View from a German observation bunker at the top of Pont du Hoc, scaled by American rangers on the first day of the invasion.

Another view from Pointe-du-Hoc.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:25 -0700

Bob Johnson
Another view from Pointe-du-Hoc.

Easy to see how difficult it was to climb these cliffs.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:26 -0700

Bob Johnson
Easy to see how difficult it was to climb these cliffs.

Here and following are two views of the bunkers and landscape atop Pointe-du-Hoc, where fighting lasted more than a day and Americans were using captured German weapons before being relieved ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:27 -0700

Bob Johnson
Here and following are two views of the bunkers and landscape atop Pointe-du-Hoc, where fighting lasted more than a day and Americans were using captured German weapons before being relieved ...

Bob Johnson's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:29 -0700

Bob Johnson

A roadside place for lunch on a chilly Normandy day in May.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:32 -0700

Bob Johnson
A roadside place for lunch on a chilly Normandy day in May.

The American military cemetery near Omaha beach.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:34 -0700

Bob Johnson
The American military cemetery near Omaha beach.

Bob Johnson's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 10:09:43 -0700

Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 10:09:42 -0700

Bob Johnson

Along the rear wall of this garden are the names of people who died during the invasion but whose bodies were never recovered.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 10:09:52 -0700

Bob Johnson
Along the rear wall of this garden are the names of people who died during the invasion but whose bodies were never recovered.

The headstones are as perfectly aligned as you may have read. The cemetery is atop part of Omaha beach. When we were there, access to the beach was blocked from here.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:06 -0700

Bob Johnson
The headstones are as perfectly aligned as you may have read. The cemetery is atop part of Omaha beach. When we were there, access to the beach was blocked from here.

You cannot walk among the graves and not cry.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 10:09:40 -0700

Bob Johnson
You cannot walk among the graves and not cry.

A paratrooper from New York, killed on the first day of the invasion.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 10:09:36 -0700

Bob Johnson
A paratrooper from New York, killed on the first day of the invasion.

A stone in quiet memory of a Jewish soldier from Ohio.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:35 -0700

Bob Johnson
A stone in quiet memory of a Jewish soldier from Ohio.

From Virginia to Normandy to win a Medal of Honor

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:36 -0700

Bob Johnson
From Virginia to Normandy to win a Medal of Honor

A grave for an unknown American soldier. One of many.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:39 -0700

Bob Johnson
A grave for an unknown American soldier. One of many.

A soldier from Minnesota, killed in August, near the end of the Normandy campaign. We never saw anyone leaving flowers but many graves were so honored.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:41 -0700

Bob Johnson
A soldier from Minnesota, killed in August, near the end of the Normandy campaign. We never saw anyone leaving flowers but many graves were so honored.

The large soaring momument is a place to rest and reflect.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 10:09:51 -0700

Bob Johnson
The large soaring momument is a place to rest and reflect.

Looking back to the top of Omaha beach, from only a short way down. This is one of the paths taken by an American unit to the top.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:21:20 -0700

Bob Johnson
Looking back to the top of Omaha beach, from only a short way down. This is one of the paths taken by an American unit to the top.

Who left this mark?

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:21:26 -0700

Bob Johnson
Who left this mark?

From above Omaha beach, it was stil a far way to the top.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:21:15 -0700

Bob Johnson
From above Omaha beach, it was stil a far way to the top.

Above the Omaha beaches, French visitors speaking of "Les Boches" as they walked.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:22:36 -0700

Bob Johnson
Above the Omaha beaches, French visitors speaking of "Les Boches" as they walked.

What some soldiers must have seen the afternoon of June 6.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:21:29 -0700

Bob Johnson
What some soldiers must have seen the afternoon of June 6.

From the top of one Omaha beach location, the landing area is so very exposed.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:21:39 -0700

Bob Johnson
From the top of one Omaha beach location, the landing area is so very exposed.

Bob Johnson's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 10:09:41 -0700

Bob Johnson

A monument to an Engineer unit at Omaha, seen from three sides in these pictures.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:21:54 -0700

Bob Johnson
A monument to an Engineer unit at Omaha, seen from three sides in these pictures.

Awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional service.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:21:56 -0700

Bob Johnson
Awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional service.

If I counted correctly, 96 members of this unit died at Omaho Beach.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:21:13 -0700

Bob Johnson
If I counted correctly, 96 members of this unit died at Omaho Beach.

Imagine yourself approaching these German gun emplacements just visible on the horizon on the far side of a very open field after you have reached the top of Omaha beach.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:22:13 -0700

Bob Johnson
Imagine yourself approaching these German gun emplacements just visible on the horizon on the far side of a very open field after you have reached the top of Omaha beach.

Bob Johnson's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:22:07 -0700

Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:22:02 -0700

Bob Johnson

A series of German gun emplacements are preserved behind the Normandy beaches at Omaha. These did not have a direct line of sight to fire on the beaches.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:22:48 -0700

Bob Johnson
A series of German gun emplacements are preserved behind the Normandy beaches at Omaha. These did not have a direct line of sight to fire on the beaches.

You can see why very little damage was done by high level bombing or long-distance naval guns during the bombardment before D-Day.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:22:52 -0700

Bob Johnson
You can see why very little damage was done by high level bombing or long-distance naval guns during the bombardment before D-Day.

Bob Johnson's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:22:56 -0700

Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:22:57 -0700

Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:23:01 -0700

Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:23:04 -0700

Bob Johnson

A German emplacement for infantry or perhaps an observation position, viewed from the rear.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:22:19 -0700

Bob Johnson
A German emplacement for infantry or perhaps an observation position, viewed from the rear.

Souvenir Francais, one many seen througout the battlefields and cemeteries.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 10:09:54 -0700

Bob Johnson
Souvenir Francais, one many seen througout the battlefields and cemeteries.

In Normandy, people do not forget those who fell for the liberation of France.

nobody@smugmug.com (Bob Johnson) — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 09:57:08 -0700

Bob Johnson
In Normandy, people do not forget those who fell for the liberation of France.